Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-11-11

ton square, one door from Fifth avenue,
was the envy of the socially ambitious,
and its elegant interior exhausted the
descriptive capacity of reporters on the
occasions when it was oUen to society.
Since then Mr.. Francklyn has taken his
meals in Ludlow Street Jail, though HOW
bailed out, and his sorrowful wife is try
ing to understand the catastrophe and cs-
innate, with the aid of lawyers, how far
the $50, 900 a year she has in her own
right will go towards mending matters
When Dickens, in 'Little Dorritt," drew
the character and career of Mr.. Merdle, it
was thought u gross eXaggeration; yet
it is "doube discOuntcd' in New York
The history is peculiar
Several years ago Mr.. Francklyn came
from Canada and took the place of New
York agent of the Cunard line of steam
ers. He was the son Of an officer in the
British army and cousin of Sir Bache Gu
nard, present representative of the family
that established the line OF course he
had the entree Of New York's best society.
He soon took high rank as business
man, and was credited with having made
millions out of various investments. He
also married money in the person of Miss
Hoyt, daughter of the senior partner in
& Co, and this gave him still wider
range in trade, though it could scarcely
add to his social rank. He retired from
the Cunard company's service, invested
heavily in Western mines and other enter
prises. erected the ElberOn cottage at Long
Branch, became head and front of the
Horn Silver Mining company, whose great
property is at Frisco, Utah and finally
put all his strength to organizing Il great
land and cattle company, which bought
COO, 900 acres in the Texas Pan Handle,
fenced most Of it and put 40, coo cattle on
it. And at about the time that Organiza-
ton was completed faint whispers began
to circulate that all was not well, that the
great Francklyn had lost heavily some
where" 1t turned out that almost the
entire Texas investment was n total loss.
OF the 10000 cattle paid for only G.000
could he found; and the expenses had
absorbed all the capital. Several other
enterprises turned ont badly; but the big
outgo appears to have been in the Franck-
lyns' eXtravagant style of living. They
had a mansion in London as well as New
York and Travelled back and forward with
. ietinue of servants their equipments at
Saratoga were superb, and their cottage
at Long Branch has gained melancholy
ttlcDlIty ny DelHS lle SCtlft Vi lHe liSJ
days of President Garfield. 1t was at the
invitation of Mr.. Francklyn that Garfield
accepted its use, expressing at the same
time his feeling that it was Il most grace
full act on the part of an Englishman.
The end was terrible. Late in October
New York read with amazemcnt that
Charles G. Francklyn was in Ludlow
Street Jail on the accusation of Sir Bache
Cunard that he had swindled him and
his sisters out of some $4,000, 600! The
Horn Silver Mining company has also
come forward with an allegation that he
has borrowed of the company's funds to
the amount of $3.50, 900. And here the
| narration must wait on the slow processes
of the courts, who must decide how much
truth there is in all this; but that the great
Spectator and social leader is hopelessly
ruined is but too plain, from the fact
that the main blow comes from his rela-
tive and former earnest supporter, with
whose family that of Francklyn has been
on most intimate visiting terms for years.
Meanwhile the appearance of the man
sion and gossip about the scenes of luxury